Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Science Museums Rebound After Worst of Pandemic

                     https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/postcards/buhlfountain.jpg

Pictured is the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science and technology museum from 1939 to 1991. In 1973, Buhl Planetarium became the first official member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), the organization of science museums throughout the world, which includes nearly 700 member institutions in almost 50 nations. In 1991, Buhl Planetarium was succeeded by The Carnegie Science Center (which includes a new, digital Buhl Planetarium). This month, ASTC held their annual conference in Pittsburgh, as they had held their 1996 annual conference in Pittsburgh. (Image Source: Friends of the Zeiss' History of Buhl Planetarium Internet Web-site)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

Science centers and museums around the world were greatly affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic, over the last two years. But, they are now rebounding, as was seen at the annual conference of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) in Pittsburgh this month.

ASTC is the member organization for science centers and museums throughout the world. The ASTC annual conference is the premiere meeting of science and technology engagement professionals and educators in science communications and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. These annual conferences include plenary and concurrent sessions, exhibit hall and poster vendors, along with social events and other networking opportunities.

The Pittsburgh conference, titled “What's Next?”, was held at Downtown Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center September 12 to 15 (with some “Pre-Conference Intensive” sessions held on Sept. 11), hosted by The Carnegie Science Center along with the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh and MuseumLab. The Pittsburgh conference, which hosted about 1,300 science education professionals, had originally been scheduled for 2020, but was delayed by the Pandemic. ASTC held virtual, on-line conferences in 2020 and 2021. So, this year's conference was the first in-person conference since the 2019 conference, which had been held in Toronto.

At the last plenary session Wednesday morning, just prior to the Keynote Address, ASTC presented their annual Roy L Shafer Leading Edge Awards. These awards are given to science centers and museums which excel in informal science education and engagement, enhancing both their organization and the professional field.

To recognize institutions which went beyond traditional education in the STEM fields to meet special needs of the community, a new category of awards was inaugurated this year: Community Service.

The Discovery Center museum of Springfield, Missouri epitomizes the purpose of this new category of awards. The Discovery Center provided child care services for health care workers during the Pandemic, as well as starting a private school (Discovery School at the Center) that focused on STEM, which assisted many parents during the Pandemic. In December, the Discovery Center had won the inaugural STOP award with a $1 million prize from Forbes Magazine and the Center for Education, regarding their extra efforts to serve their community.

During the Wednesday session, “Seizing Opportune Moments: Stories From Museums Taking on Big Change in a Changing World”, Discovery Center Executive Director Rob Blevins stated one important thing taught to children was the science of germs and the importance of hand-washing. He also indicated that, although there was a great community need during the Pandemic and the regular museum operation was on hiatus, there were no lay-offs; in fact, they actually had a need to add staff (they have 22 full-time and 28 part-time staff members).

Other awardees in the Community Service category included:

  • Telus Spark Science Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada – This institution created a new staff position, and new programming, to improve engagement with indigenous people in the community.

  • Copernicus Science Centre, Warsaw, Poland – The staff of this institution went well beyond the call-of-duty to support Ukrainians who had fled to Poland, after the Russian invasion of their country. The science center became a place of refuge, where the planetarium and exhibits were free-of-charge to refugees, as well as creating Ukrainian-language activities for children.

An award for Special Recognition in Community Service and Resilience was given to the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which operates the Science Museum of Kyiv. This recognized the continued service to the community that the Junior Academy of Sciences provides, under very difficult circumstances. Tragically, a staff member was killed, who was involved in the preparation of a new science museum in Mariupol; as with most of the city, the historic building where this museum was to locate was destroyed. Yet, through the Internet and other opportunities, the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has continued to provide STEM learning to the residents of their country.

Other Roy L Shafer Leading Edge Awards, in the Resilience category, were given to:

  • Emerald Coast Science Center, Fort Walton Beach, Florida – When the Pandemic forced the science center to close, it was in dire straits, financially. The community pitched-in to save the local institution with supplemental funds. With these funds, the museum was able to erect outdoor exhibits that could benefit community members during the Pandemic.

  • Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, Arkansas – In February of 2021, a broken roof boiler led to water damaging two floors of offices and two major exhibit galleries. After being closed for 27 weeks, the rebuilding allowed the institution to create a facility even more responsive to community needs. This included new exhibits on STEM skills needed for renovations.

  • New York Hall of Science, Corona, Queens, New York – Originally established as part of the 1964 New York World's Fair, the museum suffered from both the Pandemic and a second closure in 2021 due to flooding damage from Hurricane Ida. Through a great deal of community support, they provided informal science education through the Internet, local schools, and at colleague institutions. They will fully reopen interior exhibition galleries later this year.

Several sessions, during the conference, reflected on the trials and tribulations science centers and museums experienced during the worst of the Pandemic. These included Monday sessions such as “Looking Back, Moving Forward: Reflections and Roadmaps for Rebuilding Our Field Together”, “The Infodemic: Addressing the Global Crisis of Misinformation”, “Engaging Your Community on Difficult Topics: Lessons From Communities for Immunity”, and “Expanding the Universe: Building Partnerships in a COVID World and Beyond”.

The Tuesday morning Plenary Session, known as the Alan J. Friedman Science Center Dialogues, was titled, “Preparing the Public for Future Pandemics: Fostering Collaboration Between Research and Engagement”. Other Tuesday sessions included “Developing Whole Institution Sustainability Projects for Science Centers and Museums” and “The Future of Professional Learning: Brainstorm Solutions for Professional Development in a Post-pandemic World.” Another Wednesday session that concentrated on the Pandemic was “Leadership Lab: Road to Recovery Edition”.

There were other highlights on Wednesday.

The Wednesday morning Plenary Session included the Keynote Address by Gregg Behr, Executive Director of the Grable Foundation, and Ryan Rydzewski, authors of the new book, When You Wonder, You're Learning. In their address of the same name, they talked about how the late Pittsburgh icon, Fred Rogers, host of the long-running PBS children's television program MisterRogers Neighborhood, used the latest in social science research to help young children wonder, learn, and create. The speakers opined that science center and science engagement professionals could learn much from what Fred Rogers achieved.

During mid-day on Wednesday, grade-school students and other members of the general public from the Pittsburgh community were invited to a free-of-charge event, participating with the conference attendees, at a Community Science Fair called the “Hands-On Science Showdown”. Science presenters from around the country provided special science demonstrations in the several booths along the nearby Rachel Carson Bridge, which for that day had been closed to automotive traffic. Some local organizations also had science activities for children at other booths.

This event took place, in beautiful weather, all along the Rachel Carson Bridge (originally known as the 9th Street Bridge), one of three, identical, “Sister Bridges” which cross the Allegheny River from Downtown Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle to the North Side. The Rachel Carson Bridge is named for famed Pittsburgh-area, native scientist, Rachel Carson, who penned the book, Silent Spring published exactly 60 years ago this day (1962 September 27), which greatly influenced the environmental movement.

The last day of the conference, Thursday, was reserved for conference attendees to visit The Carnegie Science Center or the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh and MuseumLab. The Carnegie Science Center is a state-of-the-art science museum, including the new, digital Buhl Planetarium, a large-screen theater, and even a World War II-era submarine, the USS Requin. The Children's Museum is hosted by two historic structures, the original Buhl Planetarium building and the former Allegheny City Post Office; MuseumLab is located in America's first publicly-funded Carnegie Library building. 

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

Additional Details from ASTC, Regarding the Roy L Shafer Leading Edge Awards:

Link >>> https://www.astc.org/astc-news-announcements/seven-astc-members-honored-with-roy-l-shafer-leading-edge-awards/

Rachel Carson: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Carson

Book: Silent Spring: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Spring

Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) -

Link 1 >>> https://www.astc.org/

Link 2 >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Science_and_Technology_Centers

History of The Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science: Link >>> http://www.planetarium.cc/

The Carnegie Science Center: Link >>> https://carnegiesciencecenter.org/

Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Link >>> https://pittsburghkids.org/

MuseumLab: Link >>> https://museumlab.org/

Related Blog-Post ---

"Are Sundials, to Tell Time, Really Obsolete ?" Wed., 2018 Aug. 22.

North American Sundial Society 2018 Annual Conference in Pittsburgh.

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss          

               Tuesday, 2022 September 27.


                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

           More Astronomy & Science News - SpaceWatchtower Twitter Feed:
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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator                                                               (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

* Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html

Monday, September 26, 2022

LIVE-STREAM TONIGHT: NASA Asteroid Deflection Test

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/65803_didymos_model.png

Shape model of asteroid Didymos and its moon or satellite called Dimorphos. Tonight, the NASA DART spacecraft will attempt to slam into Dimorphos to slightly alter the satellite's orbit in the first test to deflect the orbit of an asteroid. If this test is successful, this will be provide information on the best way to deflect a larger asteroid that may impact Earth sometime in the future. (Image Sources: NASA, Wikipedia.org, By NASA/Naidu et al., AIDA Workshop, 2016 - https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/darthttps://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/screen_shot_2017-06-30_at_12.03.56_pm.png, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90615158)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

Tonight (2022 September 26), a NASA spacecraft named DART will make the first attempt to alter the orbit of a small asteroid. This attempt, which will be live-streamed by NASA, if successful, could lead to information on how to deflect a larger asteroid that could possibly hit the Earth sometime in the future.

The asteroid to be deflected in this test, actually a moon or satellite of a larger asteroid, is named Dimorphos. Neither Dimorphos, nor the larger asteroid Didymos, has any risk of hitting the Earth in the future.

NASA will provide live-stream coverage of this deflection test, on NASA-TV, tonight beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / 21:30 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), Friday Evening, 2022 September 26; the actual deflection test is expected to take place at 7:14 p.m. EDT / 23:14 UTC.

This coverage includes a news briefing that evening, from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, at 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC. Another media briefing will occur shortly after the asteroid impact occurs, at September 26, 8:00 p.m. EDT / September 27, 0:00 UTC. During the hour before impact occurs, DART will send images back to Earth at a rate of one image per second, “as Dimorphos grows from a point of light to an object that fills the entire camera frame”, according to a news release issued by The Planetary Society.

Internet link to LIVE-STREAM coverage of this event on NASA-TV can be found near the end of this blog-post.

NASA's DART spacecraft, which is an acronym for Double Asteroid Redirection Test, was launched from Earth, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, on 2021 November 24. It will slam into Dimorphos at a speed of about 14,000 miles-per-hour / 22,500 kilometers-per-hour. It is expected that the impact of DART on Dimorphos will slightly alter the orbit of Dimorphos around Didymos.

DART's sole instrument on-board is the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO), which will only be used for coverage of the impact. The weight of this spacecraft: 1,345 pounds / 610 kilograms at launch and 1,210 pounds / 550 kilograms pounds at time of impact.

According to NASA, the mission of DART: “This test will show a spacecraft can autonomously navigate to a target asteroid and intentionally collide with it to change the asteroid’s motion in a way that can be measured using ground-based telescopes. DART will provide important data to help better prepare for an asteroid that might pose an impact hazard to Earth, should one ever be discovered.”

According to the mission overview, regarding proposed relevance to a larger asteroid heading for a collision with the Earth, by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, "Mostly, what we're looking to do is change the speed of the incoming object by a centimeter per second or so. That's not very fast, but if you do it enough seconds in advance, you can cause it to miss the Earth entirely."

This technique, to influence the orbit of a celestial object, is known as "deflection by kinetic impactor.

There are several ways to confirm a successful mission.

Several astronomical observatories around the world will train their telescopes to determine the outcome of the impact event. This includes the Lowell Discovery Telescope in Arizona, the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, the Las Cumbres Observatory global network, and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico.

A CubeSat, a miniature satellite deployed by DART before the impact event, will also observe the event and send data back to NASA regarding the result. Called LICIACUBE (Light Italian CubeSat for Imaging of Asteroids), it was deployed from DART about 10 days ago. From a distance of about 31 statute miles / 50 kilometers, LICIACUBE will be looking for the actual impact of DART on Dimorphos, the plume the impact generates, and possibly the impact crater. LICIACUBE can only communicate with Earth using slow data rates, so it could be days or weeks before scientists get the chance to view LICIACUBE images.

In 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) space probe, Hera, will visit the Didymos / Dimorphos asteroid system to evaluate the type of crater created when DART hit Dimorphos. To be launched in 2024, Hera will evaluate the impact using a laser altimeter that will create 3-D maps and an infrared camera to determine the asteroid’s temperature and surface properties. Hera will deploy two of its own CubeSats, as well as Hera landing on Dimorphos and, possibly, Didymos.

One way scientists will evaluate the impact will be determining any change in the revolution time of Dimorphos around Didymos. Presently, it takes about 11.9 hours for Dimorphos to complete one orbit around Didymos; Scientists expect that this revolution time should be reduced to 11.8 hours by the DART impact. Also, Dimorphos should end-up a little closer to Didymos after the impact. If this happens, this will be one strong piece of evidence showing that the deflection test was a success.

NASA's Planetary Defense Program spent $324.5 million on DART. This includes $308 million for the spacecraft, $68.8 million for launch services, and $16.5 million on operations and data analysis.

LIVE-STREAM Internet Coverage of DART Mission, from NASA-TV:

Link >>> https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

DART -

Link 1 >>>  https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/dart/dart-news 

Link 2 >>> https://www.planetary.org/articles/dart-impact-what-to-expect

Link 3 >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Asteroid_Redirection_Test 

Link 4 >>> https://www.cnet.com/science/nasa-will-crash-the-dart-probe-into-an-asteroid-on-monday-what-to-know/

Dimorphos: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimorphos 

Didymos: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/65803_Didymos

Related Blog-Post ---

"Scientists Plan for Asteroid Deflection Mission." Mon., 2013 April 15.

Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2013/04/scientists-plan-for-asteroid-deflection.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss          

               Monday, 2022 September 26.


                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

           More Astronomy & Science News - SpaceWatchtower Twitter Feed:
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                Want to receive SpaceWatchtower blog posts in your in-box ?
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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator                                                               (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

* Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html

Monday, September 19, 2022

Fall Begins at Equinox Thur. Evening

http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/pix/graphics/solsticeimage008.png
This diagram shows the position of the Earth, in relation to the Sun, at the time of the Autumnal Equinox, as well as the other equinox and solstices of the year.
(Graphic Source: ©1999, Eric G. Canali, former Floor Operations Manager of the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center - Pittsburgh's science and technology museum from 1939 to 1991) and Founder of the South Hills Backyard Astronomers amateur astronomy club; permission granted for only non-profit use with credit to author.) 

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

The Autumnal Equinox on Thursday evening marks the end of the season of Summer and the beginning of Fall or Autumn in Earth's Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, this marks the transition from Winter to Spring.

The Autumnal Equinox (also known as the September Equinox), the beginning of the season of Autumn or Fall in Earth's Northern Hemisphere of Earth, occurs Thursday Evening, 2022 September 22 at 9:04 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / September 23 at 1:04 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). In the Southern Hemisphere, this moment marks the astronomical beginning of the season of Spring.

On the day of the Equinox, the Sun appears directly overhead at local Noon on the Equator. At the moment of Equinox, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of Earth are illuminated equally. And, the time of Equinox is the only time when the Earth Terminator (dividing line on Earth between daylight and darkness) is perpendicular to the Equator.

This, and the reason for seasons on Earth in the first place, is due to the fact that Earth rotates on its axis, which is tilted at an approximate 23.44-degree angle from the ecliptic, the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, this axial tilt causes one hemisphere of the planet to receive more direct solar radiation during that hemisphere's season of Summer and much less direct solar radiation about a half-year later during that hemisphere's season of Winter. As mentioned, during an Equinox [in the Northern Hemisphere: about half-way between Summer and Winter (Autumnal Equinox), and about half-way between Winter and Summer (Vernal Equinox)] both planetary hemispheres receive an equal amount of solar radiation. 

Although "Equinox" in Latin means equal-night, the day of the Equinox does not actually have an equal amount of daylight and nightfall, as it appears on the Earth's surface. If the Sun was just a pin-point of light in our sky, as all other stars appear, day and night would be equal.

But, because the Sun is a disk, part of the Sun has risen above the horizon before the center of the Sun (which would be the pin-point of light); so there are extra moments of light on the Equinox. Likewise, part of the Sun is still visible, after the center of the Sun has set.

Additionally, the refraction of sunlight by our atmosphere causes sunlight to appear above the horizon, before sunrise and after sunset.

September 25 will mark the Equilux ("equal-light"), the actual day with equal hours and minutes of the Sun above the horizon, and equal hours and minutes of the Sun below the horizon. The Equilux occurs twice each year, approximately 3-to-4 days before the Vernal Equinox, when Spring begins,  and 3-to-4 days after the Autumnal Equinox, after Autumn or Fall has begun.

An urban legend that has been making the rounds for decades has it that eggs can be stood on their ends only during an Equinox, whether the Vernal Equinox in the Spring or the Autumnal Equinox in the Fall. This is completely false. Depending greatly on the size and shape of the particular egg, eggs can be stood on their ends any day of the year! Astronomy has nothing to do with whether an egg can stand on its end. If an egg can stand on its end on the Equinox (and, due to the shape and size of some eggs, this is not even possible), it can stand the same way any other day of the year.

In the last few years, with the help of the Internet and Social Media, another urban legend has become prevalent. Now it is claimed that brooms can stand, on their own, on their bristles, only on an Equinox day. This is also false. Again, as with eggs, if a broom can stand on its bristles by itself (this usually only works with newer brooms, with more stiff and even bristles) on an Equinox, it can do so any day of the year!

In China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and other nations in East and Southeast Asia, a popular harvest festival is celebrated on the date close to the Autumnal Equinox of the Solar Cycle, as well as close to the Harvest Moon. This Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival dates back more than 3,000 years to Moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty.

Although, Western Cultures consider September the beginning of Autumn, the ancients often termed this as "Mid-Autumn". By this reckoning, Autumn actually began at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of August 1 (when some harvesting actually begins) and ends at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of All-Hallow's Eve, also known as Halloween.

On the Chinese Han Calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month (on a day between September 8 and October 7 in our Gregorian Calendar). This usually falls on the night of a Full Moon, the Harvest Moon.  This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival was held on Saturday, 2022 September 10, coinciding with this year's Harvest Moon, the Full Moon of September.

September 22 is also designated as Falls Prevention Awareness Day for this year.

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival

Cross-Quarter Day: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_Year

Autumnal Equinox: Link >>> http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/AutumnalEquinox.html


Season of Autumn or Fall: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn

Equinox: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox


Equilux: Link >>> https://darkskydiary.wordpress.com/2010/03/20/equinox-equilux-and-twilight-times/


Earth's Seasons: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season

Tilt of a planet's axis: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_tilt

Urban legend of eggs and brooms standing on their own, only on an Equinox:
Link >>> http://www.snopes.com/science/equinox.asp

Falls Prevention Awareness Day: Link >>> https://nationaltoday.com/falls-prevention-awareness-day

Related Blog-Post ---

"More Evening Light w/ Harvest Moon This Weekend." Tue., 2022 Sept. 6.

Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2022/09/more-evening-light-w-harvest-moon-this.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss          

               Monday, 2022 September 19.


                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

           More Astronomy & Science News - SpaceWatchtower Twitter Feed:
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        Astronomy & Science Links: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#sciencelinks

                Want to receive SpaceWatchtower blog posts in your in-box ?
                Send request to < spacewatchtower@planetarium.cc >.

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator                                                               (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

* Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

More Evening Light w/ Harvest Moon This Weekend


The Harvest Moon often appears orange in color due to Rayleigh Scattering of sunlight from the Moon, which occurs whenever the Moon is near the horizon. The Harvest Moon always rises around the time of local sunset. (Image Sources: Wikipedia.org, By The original uploader was Roadcrusher at English Wikipedia. - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Khayman using CommonsHelper., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15755496)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

More evening light, coming just after the earlier sunsets of late Summer and early Autumn, occur with the Harvest Moon (the Full Moon of September) and a few days near the day of this Full Moon (weather-permitting). Traditionally, this time of year helped give farmers more light in the evening as they work to harvest their crops before the coming Winter. However, anyone can take advantage of this extra evening light, as the late Summer and early Autumn evenings continue with moderate temperatures.

For this year, the Harvest Moon will be the Full Moon of Saturday Morning, 2022 September 10, at 5:59 a.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / 9:59 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Of course, the Harvest Moon becomes visible (weather-permitting) in the vicinity of the time of sunset on the days around the day of Full Moon.

For farmers eager to finish harvesting their crops, the bright Full Moon which shines on their farms for the several evenings closest to the Autumnal Equinox is called the Harvest Moon. This year the Autumnal Equinox, the beginning of the season of Autumn or Fall in the Earth's Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of the season of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere, falls on Thursday Evening, 2022 September 22 at 9:04 p.m. EDT / September 23 at 1:04 UTC.

The Harvest Moon is one of the signature astronomical events shortly before the beginning of, or shortly after the beginning of, the Fall season. It is an event particularly anticipated by farmers of both the past and the present. As many crops reach the time of harvest in late Summer and early Autumn, often the work of the harvest has to continue past sunset, which comes earlier and earlier each evening.

Nature has come to the rescue of these farmers, with a bright Full Moon (weather-permitting), which arrives just around the time of sunset, that allows farmers and their staff to continue the harvest after the Sun's direct light has dissipated. Hence, long-ago this Full Moon came to be known as the Harvest Moon.

For a similar reason, the Full Moon of October is often known as the Hunter's Moon, which allowed Native Americans to continue the hunt after sunset, to begin to store meat for the coming Winter months. However, the Harvest Moon is designated as the closest Full Moon to the Autumnal Equinox, and such a Full Moon does not always occur in September. Every few years the Harvest Moon occurs in October, shortly after the Autumnal Equinox. During those years, the Hunter's Moon occurs in November.

This year, the Hunter's Moon occurs on Sunday Afternoon, 2022 October 9 at 4:55 p.m. EDT / 20:55 UTC. Of course, the Hunter's Moon becomes visible (weather-permitting) in the vicinity of the time of sunset on the days around the day of Full Moon.

On average, the Moon rises about 50 minutes later each day. However, during the days near the Autumnal Equinox, the Moon rises each day only about 25-to-35 minutes later each day in the U.S.A., and only 10-to-20 minutes later in much of Canada and Europe. Thus, for several days around the time of the Autumnal Equinox, the Harvest Moon appears to rise around the same time each evening (roughly coinciding with local sunset), providing light at the time most needed by farmers.

The reason for this is due to the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun, Moon, and planets through Earth's sky, which makes a narrow angle with the horizon this time of year. It is this narrow angle which provides that moonrise occurs around the time of sunset, near the time of the Full Moon of September (for the Harvest Moon) and near the time of the Full Moon of October (for the Hunter's Moon). Hence, several evenings (before darkness has fallen) appear to have a rising Full Moon.

Also, at this time of year when farmers need moonlight the most, the Harvest Moon appears larger and more prominent, due to the mysterious but well-known "Moon Illusion" that makes the Moon seem larger when it is near the horizon. And, while near the horizon, the Moon is often reddened by clouds and dust, creating the appearance of a large, rising red ball.

Some even liken a rising Harvest Moon to a rising "Great Pumpkin," of Peanuts comic-strip fame! In the Peanuts' network-television cartoon just before Halloween each year (originally aired on CBS-TV on 1966 October 27) titled, "Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", the “Great Pumpkin” rises over the pumpkin patch to provide gifts to all good little boys and girls.

In China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and other nations in East and Southeast Asia, a popular harvest festival is celebrated on the date close to the Autumnal Equinox of the Solar Cycle, as well as close to the Harvest Moon. This Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival dates back more than 3,000 years to Moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty.

Although, Western Cultures consider September the beginning of Autumn, the ancients often termed this as "Mid-Autumn". By this reckoning, Autumn actually began at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of August 1 (when some harvesting actually begins) and ends at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of All-Hallow's Eve, also known as Halloween.

On the Chinese Han Calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month (on a day between September 8 and October 7 in our Gregorian Calendar). This usually falls on the night of a Full Moon, the Harvest Moon.  This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival will be held on Saturday, 2022 September 10, coinciding with this year's Harvest Moon, the Full Moon of September.

Native Americans also called the Full Moon of September the Corn Moon or Barley Moon, as Corn and Barley were among their main crops. Sometimes, the September Full Moon in the Northern Hemisphere is also known as the Fruit Moon.

In the Southern Hemisphere, where Winter is about to turn to Spring, the September Full Moon is known as the Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Sugar Moon, Chaste Moon, or Sap Moon.

The Harvest Moon in the Southern Hemisphere occurs in March or April, with the same advantages to Southern Hemisphere farmers as the Harvest Moon in the Northern Hemisphere.

Internet Links to Additional Info.orrmation ---

Harvest Moon: Link >>> https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/16sep_harvestmoon/ 

Native American Full Moon Names: Link >>> https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/full-moon-names/ 

Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss          

               Tuesday, 2022 September 6.


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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator                                                             (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

* Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html